Nazzira's hummus

hummus is tasty, homey. a good source of protein and fiber. chickpeas are high in iron, folate, phosphorus and vitamin b.

Nazzira's* hummus

1 cup dried chickpeas,
2 teaspoons baking soda,
4 garlic cloves peeled
⅓ cup (or more) fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
⅔ cup tahini
¼ teaspoon (or more) ground cumin
x-tra virgin olive oil (for serving)

the secret is baking soda for your chickpeas. never do this from a GOYA can!

go through the steps of tradition. slow is better! this is how you learn the history and the secrets. secrets are in the details:

1. place chickpeas and 1 tsp. baking soda in a bowl and add cold water to cover by 2". Cover and let sit at room temperature overnight. drain and rinse.

2. bring to a boil, skimming surface as needed. reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until chickpeas are tender and completely falling apart, 45–60 minutes. drain, set aside.

(Secret: if you remove the skin off the chickpeas the end result is much better). 

3. meanwhile, mash the garlic and salt with a pestle (you need something like this), add the lemon juice; let the paste sit 10 minutes to allow garlic to mellow.

4. return liquid to food processor. add tahini and pulse to combine. with motor running, add ¼ cup ice water by the tablespoonful and process (it may seize up at first) until mixture is very smooth, pale, and thick.

5. add chickpeas and cumin and process, occasionally scraping down sides, until mixture is extremely smooth, about 4 minutes. thin with more water if you prefer a looser consistency; taste and season with salt, more lemon juice, and more cumin if needed.

6. spoon hummus into a shallow bowl, making a well in the center, and drizzle with oil. top with spanish smoked paprika.

mmmmm, earthy, creamy, nutty and pungent. serve this with pita bread: the pita should be hot, either in the oven or few seconds in a microwave.

bon appétit!
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*Nazzira was my jida, good cook and a polyglot (she spoke arabic and french fluently, some spanish and broken english). not a bad singer. 😃